Listen here.
Welcome to
Devotions for Worship where we meditate on the appointed Scripture readings for
the upcoming Sunday. I am Pastor Eric Tritten from Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
in Hudson, OH.
Thank you for
being with me today.
The Gospel lesson
for the 4th Sunday after Epiphany highlighted that Jesus was one
with authority. In our Old Testament lesson, Moses prophesies about a person
that God would raise up – a person like him – to whom they were to listen, and
to whom we do well to listen also.
The Reading:
Deuteronomy 18:15-20
15 "The
LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your
brothers-- it is to him you shall listen-- 16 just as you desired of
the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, 'Let me
not hear again the voice of the LORD my God or see this great fire any more,
lest I die.' 17 And the LORD said to me, 'They are right in what
they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you
from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall
speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen
to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. 20
But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded
him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall
die.' (Deut. 18:15-20 ESV)
Comments
Deuteronomy is,
essentially, Moses’ farewell message to the people of Israel. The Lord was
about to lead Israel into the Promised Land, and Moses was not going with them
because of his disobedience. God would allow Moses to see the Promised Land
from afar, but he would not enter it. It may well be that the last thing that
Moses saw in his earthly life was the Promised Land. But even as he says
farewell, he says that there will be another who will speak for the Lord with
such authority as he himself had.
We believe and
know that the prophet that Moses spoke of is Jesus. Jesus spoke authoritatively
– God’s Word was in His mouth in a whole new way, because He is God and every
word that crossed His lips is therefore God’s Word.
God says that,
“whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself
will require it of him.” This is a stern threat and warning. We are to listen
to Jesus and to obey him. The people of Jesus’ day were impressed by the
authority with which he spoke – authority that even compelled the demonic to
depart! I sometimes wonder if we are as impressed with Jesus’ words, or if we
have grown too comfortable and casual around holy things. If we have there are
two dangers in our informality: one is that we don’t hear God’s commands with
their full force, and the second is that we don’t hear God’s comfort with its
deep power and consolation.
Let’s meditate on
this today: Do we listen to Jesus as we should? Do His words lead us to awe and
obedience? And more importantly, do His words lead us to hope and joy in His
salvation?
Prayers
Father in Heaven,
we thank You for giving Jesus to speak Your Word to us. Forgive us for not
listening as we should and for becoming overly casual with holy things. Fill us
with You Holy Spirit so that we will be obedient to Your commands even as we
joyfully hope in the salvation You have won for us through Jesus’ death and
resurrection. Amen.
Memory Verse:
Psalm 111:10 -
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have
a good understanding. His praise endures forever! (Ps. 111:10 ESV)
Thank you so much
for using Devotions for Worship, I pray that our time together has blessed you
and given you something to meditate on – some reminder of God’s grace to rattle
around in your brain – for the rest of the day.
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God bless you!
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